But alas, on one corner there was a newsstand, and a quick drive-by revealed that it has a fair amount of magazines. I, being a fan of that medium (and Debbie will tell you, pretty much any other medium as well- CDs, books, etc.) was keen on stopping, so when Debbie said "Do you want to run in while I wait outside with Chloe?", I probably didn’t let her finish her sentence before I was hopping out of the car.
Once inside, I made a few quick observations:
- This is the only store of this genre I have encountered that didn’t have a sizable- ahem- adult section. This should come as no real surprise due to the hoidy-toidyness of the environs, but it was still a bit of a shock. Not that I purchase such magazines, but in this kind of store, you are always aware of that section’s existence. I’m sure this section fuels a lot of revenue for this type of business- I mean, there is a limited audience for Dog Fancy and Model Railroader, but hey, everybody likes…well, you get the picture.
- The alternative music magazine selection was worse than you would expect. I spent more time double-checking the shelves in disbelief ("They’ve got to have something good here, don’t they?") than I did perusing the magazines. I quickly rounded the corner for the biggest surprise of all…
Candy. TONS of it! And we’re not just talking the standards, or the full display of Jelly Bellys, or the hard candy pick-n-mix in bushel baskets. The big shocker here was the tables and tables of the really crazy stuff. Gummy everything. Multiple flavor of the Bun, a turtle-like confectionery that has to be somebody’s favorite. Full-sized Mr. Goodbar. And one of my wife’s favorites…
Razzles.
For those of you unfamiliar with Razzles (and there must be some who are, due to the fact it’s hard to find the darn things), the product is concisely described on the package- First it’s a candy, then it’s a gum. They’re these little chalky tablets that taste like candy, but, after some some chewing, start to take on a gum-like form. To me, there’s never been a lot of appeal. If I want candy, I want candy. Gum, I’m not a big fan of. It loses its flavor, and I lose my interest. But I do like the idea of products starting off life as one thing and end up as another. Here are some of my suggestions for the world’s scientists. Put away the cancer cures and the stem cells and give these concepts the old college try:
- First it’s a beer, then it’s a mouthwash
- First it’s sandwich, then it’s a pie
- First it’s swimtrunks, then it’s a towel
- First it’s a bed, then it’s a coffin
Feel free the send along your own thoughts, I’ll compile them, and send them to NASA or somewhere. I also thought of "First it’s a textbook, then it’s a doorstop", but I’m sure it’s been done…
Getting back to the shopping experience, not only did they have the elusive Razzles, they had them in three varieties- original, tropical and sour. If you’re ever in Hinsdale, park your Land Rover and stop on in…
Hinsdale News Agency 24 E Hinsdale Ave Hinsdale, IL 60521
First it’s a sub-par news stand, then it’s an awesome candy store.